blondel



Patented Feb. 11, 1896.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. BLONDEL & E; PORGHER.

PIANISSIMO ATTACHMENT.

No. 554,387. I Patented Feb. 11, 1896.

M/JJWMM' Kata/( In wvi'7zcss 3 061150717 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT BLONDEL AND ERNEST PO-RCHER, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

PIANISSIMO ATTACHMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 554,387, dated February 11, 1896.

Application filed June 4, 1895. Serial No. 551,678. (No model.)

To all 1071,0777, it may concern.-

Be it known that we, ALBERT BLON DEL and ERNEST POROHER, citizens of the Republic of France, residing at Paris, France, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in or Relating to Pianofortes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of pianoforte-actions wherein the soft-pedal effect. is produced by shortening the strokes of the hammers; and ithas for its object to do away with the lost motion which in pianofortes of that construction results from the fact that when the soft pedal is depressed the pilots are moved out of operative contact with the pilot-screws and a certain portion of the movement of the keys is thereby rendered useless.

The pianofortes to which this invention is applicable though all belonging to the same class may still be of various construction; but to avoid complication we have hereinafter, as an example, described it as applied to the wellknown Erard action.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a vertical cross-section showing as much of an Erard action as is necessary to the clear understanding of the invention. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic View showing the manner of connecting the soft pedal with the devices to be operated by it.

Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.

A represents one of the piano strings or wires; B, the corresponding spring-pressed damper pivoted on the hammer-rail C and adapted to be operated by the back and upturned end D of the pilot-lever D, which is pivoted to the hammer-rail C by means of the two bars 0.

D is the pilot projecting from the under side of the pilot-lever D, and through which the motion of the key E is transmitted to the hammer F.

G is the pilot-screw adjustable in the key E, and between which and the pilot D is i11- terposed a piece of felt or equivalent material II.

The hammer F is pivoted to the hammer-mail C by means of two bars O and is formed with the usual butt F and check-hammer F the former F) adapted to be operated by the pilot-lever D through the sticker I and the latfor (F to be operated upon by the check J, secured to the .pilotlever D byan arm D The sticker I is pivoted to a bracket-arm D secured to the pilot-lever D and is provided with an escapement-arm I adapted to impin go against an escapcment-button K adj ustable in a fixed rail K.

L is an adjustable rail pivoted to the hammer-rest or rest-rail L and adapted, by depressing the soft pedal, to be turned from the position in which it is shown in full lines in Fig. 1 to that indicated in dotted lines in the same figure, so that the stroke of the hammer F may be reduced to about half of that which it has when the soft pedal is not moved.

The foregoing devices, together with the necessary springs and pads, are what are ordinarily provided in the Erard action, and it will be seen by reference to the dotted lines shown in Fig. 1 that when the soft pedal (which itself is not represented in the drawings) is moved the pilot D is out of operative contact with the pilot-screw G, so that the first portion-of the ensuing depression of the key E will have no effect on the hammer, and the key being to that extent loose will be lighter to move, and the touch for that portion of its movement will be lighter than the normal. To overcome this difficulty supple mentary pilots M are provided, each formed on one, end of a lever M pivoted at M to one of the ordinary pilots D springs M being arranged to return these supplementary pilots M to their inoperative position and hold them in that position when the soft pedal is not in use.

The supplementary pilots M are adapted to be operated upon by supplementary pilotscrews G, one of which is fitted in each of the keys E, each key in this arrangement carrying two pilot-screws, one, G, for operating the ordinary pilot D and the other, G, for operating the supplementary pilot M. The

back ends of the levers M extend over a hinged bar or rail N, which at each operation of the soft pedal is moved from the position indicated in full lines to that shown in dotted 1ines,the supplementary pilot M,which normally is out of operative contact with the key E, being thereby lowered so that the duration of its motion for operating the hammer F will coincide with that of the operation of the key. The bar or rail N is hereinafter referred to as the fulcrum -bar for the reason that the supplementary pilot-levers M pivot -on it when the keys E are depressed during the depression of the soft pedal. It will be seen that in this construction of the apparatus the pilots D serve for the operation of the hammers when the soft pedal is not used, the supplementary pilots M then being in their inoperative position, and that when the soft pedal is used the pilots D are moved away from the pilot-screws G and the supplementary pilots H are, through the fulcrum-bar N and levers M, moved into operative contact with the supplementary pilot-screws G.

Various means may be devised for operating the fulcrum-bar N in conjunction with the pivoted rail L, which latter, as before de scribed, tilts the hammers 1* forward toward the strings A. In Fig. 2 is diagrammatically indicated one means for effecting this. This comprises a rod 0, which is raised at each operation of the soft pedal, an arm N pivoted to it, as by a slotted connection, and rigidly secured on the pivot N of the fulcrum-bar N, a bell-crank. lever P P, the arm P of which is connected to the upper end of the rod 0 and the other, P, with or adapted to operate upon an arm L secured on the pivot of the rail L. Other means of operating the rail L and fulcrum-bar N may be employed.

lVe claim-- 1. In a pianofortc the combination with a pilot a pedal and an adjustable hammer-rest rail all operatively connected together of a supplementary pilot pivoted to the first pilot and a fulcrum-bar for the supplementary pilot in operative connection with the same pedal substantially as set forth.

2. In a pianofortc the combination with a pilot operatively connected with the pedal of a supplementary pilot pivoted to the first pilot and a fulcrum-bar for the supplemeit tary pilot in operative connection with the same pedal substantially as set forth.

In a pianoforto the combination with a pilot operativcly connected with the pedal and adjustable hammer-rest rail of a supplementary pilot pivoted to the first pilot and a pivoted fulerum-bar for the supplementary pilot in operative connection with the same pedal substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof we have hereto set on r hands in the presence of the two subscribing witnesses.

AL l'ERl BLOND'EL. ERNES' lOltCllEl-l. \Vitnesses:

EUG. LE Peru, 1. FERRIN. 

